Who We Are
The Jed Foundation is a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults, giving them the skills and support they need to thrive today…and tomorrow.
About Us
JED empowers teens and young adults by building resiliency and life skills, promoting social connectedness, and encouraging help-seeking and help-giving behaviors through our nationally recognized programs, digital channels, and partnerships, as well as through the media. JED strengthens schools by working directly with high schools, colleges, and universities — representing millions of students — to put systems, programs, and policies in place to create a culture of caring that protects student mental health, builds life skills, and makes it more likely that struggling students will seek help and be recognized, connected to care, and supported. We mobilize communities by providing education, training, and tools to families, friends, media, and others.
Our Story
In 1998, we lost our youngest son, Jed, to suicide. Although suicide was and continues to be a leading cause of death among young adults, schools had no uniform model for preventing suicide on campus. Communities struggled to overcome the shame and secrecy that prevented honest discussion of mental health. In 2000, we founded The Jed Foundation (JED) to surmount these hurdles and launch a blueprint for prevention. Today, JED is the nation’s leading organization dedicated to young adult mental health. Together we’re helping students navigate the emotional challenges of high school and college, prepare for adulthood, and thrive.
Learn about the story of JED
Thank you to our friends, partners, and supporters for making The Jed Foundation possible and thank you to all of you who’ve accompanied us on this journey from loss to hope. Your commitment to protecting the lives of young people is transforming the conversation around mental health and mobilizing communities to action.
Donna & Phil Satow
Our Vision
We envision a future where:
- Every high school and college has a comprehensive system that supports student emotional health and reduces the risks of substance misuse and suicide.
- All teens and young adults are equipped to navigate mental health challenges and to seek and give help, and are emotionally prepared to enter adulthood and fulfill their potential.
- Our communities support the emotional well-being and mental health of teens and young adults.
- Mental health is recognized as part of general health and wellness and not associated with shame, secrecy, or prejudice.
JED has us addressing emotional well-being on all fronts. Now our colleagues on campus think about how our offices, programs, and services can coordinate and share resources to promote and impact our students’ mental wellness.
Drexel University
JED’s Impact Across the Country
JED reaches young people in every state, providing valuable training and resources to protect mental health and prevent suicide. See how we’re making an impact in your state and across the country.
I’ve had the opportunity to enter into a partnership with JED during the last school year. As an Administrator responsible for multiple programs that represent disenfranchised youth, being able to have open and honest communication is important. We’re excited to begin our journey with JED.
Dave Chaplin
YSD Alternative Programs Administrator, Stanton High School
We have...
Helped schools implement safety nets
- More than 9,000 high schools, colleges, and universities strengthen their mental health and suicide prevention safety nets for students by using JED resources.
- Over 500 colleges representing over 6 million students participate in JED Campus to improve their mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programming.
- Schools that have completed JED Campus have significantly improved their approaches to supporting student mental health and preventing suicide through life skills programs, identifying students at risk, promoting help-seeking behaviors, providing mental health and substance misuse services, and restricting access to potentially lethal means.
- Over 70,000 college, high school, and other mental health professionals have been educated by JED in mental health promotion and suicide prevention through conference presentations and webinars.
Equipped and empowered young adults
- More than 250,000 people visit the JED Mental Health Resource Center each month and are better informed and prepared to care for their mental health or a loved one.
- Nearly 100,000 people are staying current on mental health by following JED’s social media.
- Over 65 million video views have been played through Seize the Awkward, our campaign with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in partnership with the Ad Council, that encourages teens and young adults to start a conversation with a friend who may be struggling with their mental health.